ALFRED LAW

LAW--Alfred John, III. Alfred John Law, III, died on March 21 in Rhinebeck, NY, after a long scuffle. He was 89. The cause of death was pernicious perplexity, according to his Jungian analyst. Medical experts blame complications of Parkinson's Disease. A resident of the Hudson Valley since 2000, Law had a multifarious career. He regarded himself as the ultimate dilettante, dabbling in a variety of activities and interests without committing to any one. Pointed in his youth toward the Episcopal ministry by a religious family, Law used Princeton (BA 1957) as a stepping stone to careers in journalism and, later, the law. Law's interest in journalism was fueled by his membership in the University Press Club, an organization of Princeton "stringer correspondents" for major news organizations. His seven-minute world "scoop" for the Associated Press of Albert Einstein's death earned him lasting renown. Law worked full-time for the AP, then the Wall Street Journal, while earning a master's in history (Columbia 1963) and a J.D. (NYU 1967). Honoring academic seriousness, his Master's Essay focused on The Veterans of Future Wars, a 1935 Princeton student prank. Law spent 20 years with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, seeing it grow from 17 to 500+ lawyers. He worked closely with his mentor, Joseph H. Flom (who pioneered the firm's mergers and acquisitions practice), then later headed the firm's Washington office. Law particularly enjoyed the collegiality of the early days and became known for gentle pranks that humanized the otherwise staid environment. He retired from practice in 1988 intent on "finding the meaning of life," particularly through the teachings of Carl G. Jung. Law was an avid sailor, photographer, and lifelong lover of classical music. He served on the Boards of the Washington Opera, Waverly Consort, Washington Performing Arts Society, and Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle, and was Board Chairman of New York's Musica Sacra. Watching his young daughters take an interest in a televised performance of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, Law attributed their enthusiasm to the use of English translation "surtitles." He persuaded a skeptical Washington Opera management team to try them by personally underwriting a surtitled test performance. They have used surtitles ever since. Law grew up in Chattanooga, TN, the son of Alfred J. Law Jr. and Mary Turner Law. He is survived by his wife, Glenda Fowler Law; daughters, Eliza Garcia of San Antonio, TX; Anna (Alan) Rast of American Fork, UT; and Margaret (Ritu) Law of San Francisco, CA; and grandchildren Kirsten and Kevin Rast, and Albert and Katharine Garcia. He is also survived by siblings Christian H. Law of Black Mountain, NC, and Mary M. Law of Berkeley, CA. His first two marriages ended in divorce. He was predeceased by his first wife, Katharine S. J. Law.